Jane's Defense News

EVENT Portugal's left-wing opposition alliance led by the Socialist Party (Partido Socialista: PS) headed by António Costa yesterday (10 November) rejected the minority government of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho. President Aníbal Cavaco Silva can now either nominate Costa to lead

Elbit Systems generated revenue of USD2.2 billion in the first nine months of 2015, third quarter 2015 results published on 11 November reported. Quarterly revenue was up 5.8% year on year to USD764 million, while profits in the three months to 30 September rose 12% to USD234 million. Bezhalel

After heavy consultations across an 'unprecedented' diversity of stakeholders, the German Ministry of Defence (MoD) is now drafting the country's next white paper on defence, due out in mid-2016. The paper will project the ministry's planning until 2026 based on mitigating factors such as climate

South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and the state-owned Korea Development Bank (KDB) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide the ailing shipyard with KRW4.2 trillion (USD3.7 billion) in funding. Under the terms of the MoU, which was signed on 10

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's three-day visit to the United Kingdom from 12 November will focus on defence co-operation with BAE Systems Hawk 132 advanced jet trainers (AJTs) and M777 155 mm/39 calibre lightweight howitzers (LWHs) likely the subject of talks. "Defence manufacturing

EVENT Luis Almagro, the secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), sent a letter on 10 November to Tibisay Lucena Ramírez, head of Venezuela's electoral authority, the National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral: CNE), that warned that "transparency and

Elbit Systems has been awarded a PLN12.8 million (USD3.23 million) contract to deliver a laser combat training system (LST) for Poland's Jednostka Wojskowa Agat special forces unit based in Gliwice. The Elbit LST beat three rival offers for the requirement and was developed in co-operation with

Publicly-listed German military technology company Rheinmetall AG issued 3,959,850 new shares on 11 November, raising its share capital by EUR10 million. The company expects to gain around EUR230 million from the issue, which will be used to increase investment in both its defence and automotive

Key Points The second of six new Russian Kilo-class submarines appears to have made an unscheduled port call in the Baltic Sea while en route to its new home base in the Black Sea Delivery of the six Kilos to the Black Sea Fleet remains a high strategic priority for the Russian Navy In late

China tested a new 'direct ascent' missile interceptor called the Dong Neng-3 (DN-3) on 30 October from its Korla Missile Text Complex in Xinjiang, according to US government sources. China issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) on 30 October for events from late 31 October to 1 November for the region

Vietnamese ambassador to Brazil, Nguyen Van Kien, met with Brazilian defence minister Aldo Rebelo on 10 November, with the goal of pursuing both countries' desire to implement a defence co-operation agreement. Brazil currently provides peacekeeping and language training to Vietnamese armed forces,

Key Points The USAF is considering a delay of its planned retirement for the A-10C Thunderbolt II Congress has for several years provided funding to continue maintenance and use of the ground attack aircraft, despite USAF efforts to retire it The US Air Force (USAF) could delay its planned

The United States faces challenges in replenishing the munitions of its Middle Eastern allies whose stocks are being rapidly being depleted by concurrent operations in the region, senior government and military officials said on 10 November. Speaking at the Dubai Airshow, Secretary of the Air Force

The UAE Air Force and Air Defence (UAE AF & AD) signed a USD1.27 billion contract for the procurement of two new Saab surveillance aircraft and the upgrade of two others, the company said on 9 November. The contract, which was announced at the Dubai Airshow 2015, will see the UAE receive two of

The Polish Armament Inspectorate has signed a PLN199 million (USD50 million) contract with local firm Rosomak for the delivery of 27 wheeled heavy recovery vehicles (CKPEiRTs). Rosomak has teamed with Scania Power Polska and Cargotec for the contract, which will see the delivery of 8x8 vehicles

The Azerbaijan Coast Guard's Ship Construction and Repair Center in Turkan has built the first of up to six Saar 62 offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), as well as the coastguard's sixth Shaldag Mk V fast attack craft (FAC). The developments were confirmed in a press release from the Azeri Border Guard

China successfully launched its first liquid-fuelled Long March-6 (LM-6) small satellite space launch vehicle (SLV) from its Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre on 20 September. Under concept development since 2000 by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) of the China Aerospace Science

US officials first alluded publicly to the deployment of additional Russian forces into Syria on 4 September, claiming that new housing under construction at Latakia airport, also known as Bassel al-Assad International Airport, could billet up to 1,000 military personnel. By 16 September, Washington

The US Navy in August conducted the first launch of a Raytheon RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 1A from a SeaRAM Anti-Ship Missile Defense System during a live-fire exercise at the Naval Air Warfare (Navair) Center Weapons Division sea range, Point Magu, California. During the exercise,

THREE Saudi nationals, two United States citizens, and a United Kingdom national - kidnapped by Ansar Allah militants in March for allegedly entering Yemen without proper visas - were released by the group on 20 September, Reuters reported. The hostages were flown to Oman's capital Muscat following